Bitter and Sweet
by Groulien
Summary: Nimueh plans on poisoning the Chalice as Cara and flirts with Merlin to get him to trust her. Unfortunately she failed to realise that a bit of flirting would mess her up as well. MerlinxNimueh, oneshot, possible twoshot depending on reviews.
1. Chapter 1

**AN:**

A MerlinxNimueh set during The Poisoned Chalice.  
>I'm honestly suprised no one has done this before.<p>

~ Nimueh's POV ~

_It's working._ Thought Nimueh. Merlin was as gullible as a child, of course he was still rather young and unexperienced. Soon she would plant the poisoned chalice and 'warn' Merlin, he would sacrifice himself so very eagerly and be rid of him. Pretending to be one of Bayard's servants wasn't her greatest choice but it got her close to both Merlin _and _the chalices. Unfortunately it also meant she had to do some actual chores which she absolutely loathed. Had they known who she really was, they would've bowed to the High Priestess. She finished making some nobleman's bed and as she left the room tried to figure out where they kept the damn chalices. It was just her luck that outside the nobleman's chamber was Merlin running an errand.  
>"Cara." He had greeted her with that boyish smile of his, she enjoyed flirting with him last time but that was business and now he was being an obstacle once more.<br>"Merlin." She smiled at him flirtatiously, she did have to keep up appearances or he wouldn't trust her when she'd poisoned the chalice.  
>"I... Ehm, I was wondering whether you were doing anything later this afternoon." By the Triple Goddess, was he really <em>that <em>gullible? At least he had the balls to do something with those feelings of his.  
>"I might be able to find some spare time." She teased him. "What did you have in mind?" She wondered what he would do if she were to indulged him.<br>"It's a surprise." Great, a suprise, she didn't like them, couldn't use them in any way.  
>"I don't like suprises." She slightly complained but was afraid she'd seem too much of an annoying child and added "If I'm gone too long..."<br>"Just give me a chance, I wil not disappoint." He assured her. She smiled, he could be quite persuasive and she so very curious.  
>"Alright, when and where?" She could always say no, of course. 'Prior engagement' had always been a valid excuse, why not now?<br>"The stables in, say, one hour?" The stables, really? Hardly romantic in her opinion. Was this how the common folk went about the business nowadays?  
>"I'll be there." She said, curiosity winning her over once more.<br>"See you there." He smiled. She caught herself giving him a genuine smile, his bright mood was very contagious.  
>What would the night bring?<p>

**The stables**

She wondered what he would do seeing as it were the midsts of day. Still, he did say he would not disappoint.  
>"Cara." Someone whispered. Looking up she saw Merlin smiling down at her from the hayloft. He disappeared for a moment and a ladder was brought down so she could join him. The hayloft had lots of candles around that burned blue. Those who didn't know magic <em>did <em>know there were some expensive candles that burned blue but she could sense magic. The magic also prevented that the hay would catch on fire. She saw two wineglasses standing near two bales of hay along with a bottle of red wine.  
>Thus far <em>she<em> wasn't very impressed though Bayard's inexperienced servant would be.

While she was admiring the view, Merlin had retrieved the ladder, as not to be disturbed, and was now pouring the wine.  
>He handed her a glass and she found it of good taste, nothing mind-blowing but a good taste even for a prince.<br>"Where did you get this wine?" She asked though she thought she could guess it already.  
>A roguish smile crept across his face and answered "I kind of stole it from the cellar." She though as much but it <em>was<em> of course romance at it's sweetest. It was cute to see him like that, so happy, so carefree, so unaware that he was drinking with the enemy.  
>They talked for quite a while, both of them having a lot to tell. It wasn't hard for Nimueh to fake her history as she had made quite a credible one over the years, years spent hiding and lying to everyone you knew.<br>"I don't know Camelot very well, nor its people. I was wondering what your thoughts were on the banishment of magic."  
>"The Great Purge began for a reason but no one seems to know why." Except she, of course. "Whatever has happened, magic was once part of this land and it should be part of it once more."<br>"And Arthur? How does he feel about it?"  
>"Although he might listen to him, he doesn't always agree with his father's choices. I believe that, under Arthur's rule, magic may be permitted once more."<br>She knew Arthur was destined for greatness. Merlin, however, was a puzzle. She knew he was a sorcerer and yet he put faith in Arthur. Her powers of foresight were strong but still his future eluded her.  
>"But why do you ask? You fear for a sorcerer's life?"<br>"I..." She had always been so set on vengeance that she never really took the time to remember what she had lost. On the rare occasion someone asked about them, she would tell them it was Uther's fault. But not now, not when it would ruin her plan. The thought forced her to dig deeper, dig beyond the frozen surface that had become her way of life. But the hole she dug beyond the ice brought more than just memories, they brought emotion. "I had friends amond the druids." It wasn't a lie but neither was it the truth. The people she called friends died during the Great Purge and those like them, those who still lived, had become druids. But she had never been a _true_ friend of the druids. She felt tears welling up, it had been so many years since she had last mourned them.  
>"I'm sorry, I..." He couldn't find the words and put his arm around her instead, pulling her close against his chest. Then everything was too much for her. It had been so long since she had cried for her dear friends, so long since anyone even cared for her. With Uther killing everyone she knew, she became cold, isolated and a different person entirely, all so she would survive. And then survival was not enough, she wanted vengeance. Now, after all those years, there was someone who cared for her once more. It was true her cared for Cara, but did he care for Nimueh? At this point it didn't matter, for the moment the two were one and Merlin was comforting her whilst doing nothing but hold her. She sobbed as she began to recall their names and faces. They just sat there for a while and Merlin wrapped a strand of hair around his finger again and again. It pained her to admit she was actually enjoying it, for once it wasn't the wind that played with her hair and it weren't bugs that sought to nest, it was having someone so close to her. Nevertheless, she broke away from the warmth of his arms. Looking into his eyes she no longer saw the naïve servant of the prince. She saw a kind and gentle soul that had been capable of reviving what she thought dead.<br>"I should go." She wiped away the tears and already put the ladder in place when Merlin called her back.  
>"Cara?" She turned around, different eyes looking back at the young warlock.<br>He hesitated, something was on his mind, but he went for a very understanding "Goodnight.".  
>"Goodnight." She whispered and quickly left the hayloft. A shiver went down her spine, it unnerved her that Merlin was capable of getting under her skin like that. He was the enemy, she had intended to kill him and now she had something she hadn't had in a long time, doubts.<p>

Merlin. What was she to do with him? He spoiled her plans time and again, he was an annoyance. But he had also helped her, comforted her, when she shed tears for all she had lost. He was a kind and caring soul that stood in the way of retribution and still she couldn't choose which was more important, which was worth the sacrifice? The opportune time to strike was NOW but the decision remained difficult. She had tried to kill Uther before though Merlin prevented it. There would be opportunities in the future but there was only one Merlin. With that settled another question came up. Was he friend or foe?

**AN:**

It started out as a oneshot but seeing the ending it could become a twoshot, but only if I get some positive feedback.  
>Carry on? Yes? No? Leave me a review.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Nimueh stood in an old musty cave, it wasn't as homely as her usual hideout but it would just have to do. Bayard's men would be leaving the next day and she had to know why the warlock intrigued her so much. The scrying fount had always provided answers when she needed them most, to see when to strike Uther and who had spoiled her plans. Now it was time for her to use her powers of foresight but they weren't her greatest strength. It took a lot of effort to see the future clearly, dreams would come and go and she'd be lucky if it would even involve him, she had to steer her powers. Merlin's future, however, was obscured from her but that didn't stop her. Arthur's future was far clearer and it showed Merlin by his side every step of the way. To her it meant a destiny, one of greatness but still being written. Should she reveal herself to him and try to guide him? Somewhere that felt rather selfish as Gaius was doing a pretty good job and she might just end up corrupting him with her vast knowledge.

Nimueh, known to everyone as Cara, returned to Camelot in the dead of night. As she walked the streets, the doors of one of the taverns opened and out stumbled Merlin along with a girl, giggling uncontrollably.  
>"Enjoying yourself, I see." She said rather cold. <em>Why did I say it like that?<em> She asked herself. The girl clung onto him a bit possesively and it sent a pang of jealousy through her. She thought it silly to be jealous, of course Merlin would have other people who were important to him.  
>"Cara!" Merlin exclaimed, still grinning like an idiot, she could see he was rather intoxicated.<br>"Gwen, I'd like you to meet Cara. Cara, this is Guinevere."  
>"Call me Gwen, everyone does" she said. Nimueh hated these pleasantries but couldn't really refuse. Nimueh said she had to get to her room in the castle, which was previously a locked room, and Merlin told her to tag along with them as they were headed the same way. And why not, what harm could come of it? They dropped Gwen off at her house and were making their way to the castle when the sad truth came to Merlin's mind.<br>"Tonight is your last night in Camelot, isn't it?" Merlin asked.  
>"Yes, it is." Nimueh replied.<br>"And after tomorrow we might never see each other again and forget."  
>She didn't know how to take that. Being sorcerers on opposite sides they were bound to meet again but would he have forgotten her before then?<br>"Would it be stupid if I said I don't want to forget you?" Merlin asked shyly.s  
>"W-What?" She stuttered, and it infuriated her. First he made her doubt her motives and now he had gotten her to stutter, how the hell did that happen?<br>"I know we've only just met but you're different from anyone I've ever known." He continued. She knew the feeling, it was exactly the same for her. There was a connection between them, not magical but emotional, it was difficult to explain and completely unexpected but it was true.  
>"There's just something about you I can't put my finger on, I feel... normal when I'm around you." He explained.<br>"Normal?" She almost exclaimed, 'normal' didn't sound like a good thing at all.  
>"When I'm around Arthur, I'm the servant. With Gaius, I'm the apprentice. With Gwen, I'm the colleague and with you I'm... I don't have a role to fill or meet expectations to meet, with you I there's room for me to breathe and be who I am."<p>

_A friend at last._

"I won't forget you." Nimueh replied.  
>"I want you to have this." He said as he held out a small leather bracelet. "I know it's nothing special and you don't have to wear it but I..." He chuckled. "I just wanted to give you something to remember me by."<br>"Thank you." She said, and she meant it. "I'm afraid I don't have anything to give in return."  
>"You don't have to. Whenever I see blue eyes I'll always end up comparing them with yours."<br>She knew how blue her eyes were but couldn't help feeling flattered, finally someone would remember and smile doing so.

Her heart sank, he wouldn't remember _her_, he would remember _Cara_.

"What's wrong?" Merlin had picked up on her saddened mood.  
><em>I can't tell him, he's the only person who'll remember as a good person. If I ruin that I don't know what I'll do.<em> She noticed things were getting worse. _SHE_ wouldn't know what to do? Since when did she care about what he thought of her? What anyone thought of her?  
>"You can trust me." His words made her look into his eyes again, the only shade of blue to ever contest hers. His eyes, his words, she should call it poison only it didn't hurt her, it brought back to life so many things she thought dead. In the hayloft above the stables his words had revived memories and shed the tears she had held back for so long. But he would forget her eventually and the thought nearly brought her to tears. If she'd begin crying again, what would he think of her then? She would be a whimpering child and she wouldn't allow him to remember her like <em>that<em>, there was fire in her and she would let it show. The sudden urge, another emotion she thought dead, she acted on it. Her hand had made its way into his hair and her lips were on his. She would make sure he would never forget. Her tongue touched his lips and they were all too happy to oblige. Forget the hayloft, this was the moment which she would remember him by.

She would never forget him and now he would never forget her. She had done it on a sudden whim and it wasn't love. Not until he kissed her back. How could she have fallen in love with him? They had only met a day ago.  
><em>Just because he comforted me and understands how I feel and that he's kind of cute and a remarkably good kisser and...<em>  
>She noticed there were too many '<em>and<em>'s in that and feared the feeling really was genuine. Why did he have to care so damn much about her? Why couldn't he just have ignored her or something?

Their lips parted and, panting, she took a step back.  
>"I thought it was just me." He said short of breath. Nimueh smiled at his innocence, he really was adorable all flustered like that.<br>"It's like you said, my last night in Camelot. I wasn't going to leave with regrets." Nimueh replied.  
>"We could write." Merlin suggested.<br>"No, Merlin. I have a life back home and we don't even know what _this _is, we should move on."  
>Merlin's jaw clenched, this was the last thing he wanted to hear.<br>"Can't you stay for a few more days?" He pleaded.  
>"It would only make things worse."<br>Merlin fought back the tears behind his eyes, he thought her cruel to kiss him like that and then tell him to leave it all behind. He understood why but that didn't soothe the pain in his heart. Nimueh began moving away from the warlock, things were complicated enough as it was. She had to leave before she'd give in to his tempting words. Stay a few days, he said, but knowing how she felt for him it would become more and she couldn't let that happen. Uther was still alive and the only thing that had changed was Merlin's importance. She would avoid putting him in the line of fire from now on and only fight Uther, no collateral damage.  
>"Will you ever come back?" Merlin asked.<br>"I don't know." She spoke with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry." Were her last words before turning around and running away from him, into the darkness beyond the gates of Camelot.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong>

A bit of credit goes to 'knightofthecart' of the Merlin Wikia, who posted a picture of Merlin's bracelet (found on the "Merlin's Wardrobe" page).  
>I don't want to force an ending, be it adventures and marriage, her leaving for another life or sacrificing herself for Arthur's sake, all those things I'll leave in the capable minds of the readers.<p>

One day I might look back at this story and go for a lengthy sequel but it'll be a while before I do.

Now, this might come off as arrogant but I'm going to say it anyway.  
>Should anyone want to use this as a baseprequel for another story, you're free to do so. However, I would like a PM because I enjoy MerlinxNimueh stories and there are so few of them.


End file.
